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Iphone 3GS now, or wait?

Should I upgrade my Iphone now or wait (I would like the white Iphone)?

  • Wait till apple release the next Iphone

    Votes: 75 58.6%

  • Get the upgraded ASAP, its so worth it.

    Votes: 53 41.4%
  • Total voters
    128
Lets be real here, the 3GS is not just a half second faster.
It's noticeably alot faster. I put a 3G and my 3GS for a quick test. The 3GS was over 3 seconds faster to load the SMS app and safari app about 10 seconds faster openning Navigon.
Once you use a 3GS you won't want to go back to a 2G or 3G.

koollectablz said:
Because they're exactly the same form factor the only real discernable difference is the speed - and then its only a matter of my 3g being 1/2 sec or so behind his 3gs when opening apps.

The compass, camera etc have made zero difference. In fact I'm a little disappointed there hasn't been better usage of the 'new' features by now.

Bring on June though and my moneys on the counter.
Click to expand...
 
Gaogier said:
My sister has a 3G Iphone, but wants to get a blackberry due to too many people having the Iphone... She dose not use many apps if any, I personally think she should stay with the Iphone, but what are your opinions?
Click to expand...

tell her to get the blackberry. I just came from a blackberry and I'm going iphone because I bought a iPod touch and installed a hundred apps. If she doesn't really use the apps she'd be happier with a blackberry.
 
The great thing about the iPhone is that it keeps its value. You can sell a used iPhone online for more than the early upgrade price. It really makes it much easier not to worry about whether to wait or not.
 
I think the OP is asking if he should upgrade to the current 3Gs from a phone other than an iPhone. If that is the case....just buy it now.

I know folks like to hold out for whatever is around the corner...but really...there is absolutely nothing at all that I've seen which would cause me to want to wait. What new feature is coming? We have no idea. Is that really worth waiting for? Nope. At least not 6-7 months of waiting (1 or 2 months, maybe). Get the current iPhone and be happy for the next half a year or longer.

I've owned (actually still own) all three iPhone releases so far and have loved each of them. In all liklihood, I will buy the next version released in June as well. There's no way I would want to do without my current iPhone though just for the hope that I might be able to have a "better" one next year.

The only thing that seems reasonably certain (though still unconfirmed) to be new is the processor chip in the next generation phone. Maybe it'll be a little "snappier" than the 3Gs and maybe it'll use less power, allowing for longer usage between charges. That hardly seems to me something of a dealbreaker requiring a 7 month wait to "fix". The current 3Gs is fantastic.

The only concievable way I could possibly recommend you not getting a 3Gs today...is if your sister switched to the Blackberry (yuck, I have one of those too for work) and gave you her current phone for free. Then maybe you could justify waiting on a new purchase. Anything else, forgetaboutit. Buy the iPhone 3Gs and smile like a baby every waking day.
 
I'd say get one now! If you want one, then get one. I'm doing the same this month.

A new one is coming next year maybe, but that's months away.
 
I'd wait. There are so many things going on in the next year. Apple may bring out their own GPS, iChat, the new tablet may have an effect on the iPhone. You just never know. I'd wait and then get it the day it comes out. Sure, you can always say "wait till next year", or the year after etc. But if you're going to buy, you feel best right after they updated. I'm on a 2G since day 1 launch day US and i'm holding out for iPhone 4.
 
Your situation is interesting to me, but this is how I have always felt about the 3GS.

If you are able to upgrade offically, for the lowest price, I would reccomend it. However, we are about 6-7 months off of a new iPhone, so at this point, if you upgrade and Apple releases a kick butt 4G iPhone, then you will be left out in the cold with AT&T.

If you were far away from an official upgrade, I would definately say to wait.

So in short, it is your choice, but i summarize it with this.

If you can hold out, then hold out. The 4G will be the 3GS, plus more.

If you can't, since your near your official upgrade, the fire away. The 3GS won't dissapoint you.
 
I am with o2, UK...

They have always been brilliant... they also said that if I upgrade now, and apple bring out the new iphone then I will not be able to upgrade till the 5th gen comes out...
 
Personally, I would wait until Apple unveils the 4G iPhone. I have a 3G iPhone, and I didn't feel the need or desire to "upgrade" to the 3GS. You mentioned you currently have a 3G iPhone, so I definitely would wait in your case. But if you absolutely want one now because your current phone is falling apart (cosmetically speaking), then get the 3GS.
 
I'm in the same predicament as the OP, except it's not really a predicament for me. I am waiting until June/July to upgrade my 3G.

Why? Because I've done numerous side-by-side speed tests and the 3GS and BARELY any quicker EXCEPT on wifi. However, when I have a wifi connection available, I'm generally using a laptop. With AT&T's slow ass 3G connection, the 3GS is barely any quicker - certainly not enough to warrant an upgrade. Maybe iPhone gamers would disagree, but the 3GS is barely quicker from my tests for what *I* use the phone for.

I guess if I used the phone on wifi a lot, did heavy gaming on it, needed a compass or to shoot video I might consider upgrading. But I don't, so I'll wait.
 
The 3GS is faster on wifi?
I dont know what kind of tests you claim you did but there is no difference in speed while surfing thru a wifi connection on either models. That speed depends on the connection/router you're using.
If you put them side by side and try to load up random apps or the messages app, contacts etc.. you would have noticed it right away.
Its at least 2-3 seconds slower on any random task than the 3GS and over 10 seconds slower while attempting to open Navigon for example.
Now that might not bother you if you havent used a 3GS but the lag while attempting to open or do any function is there and is noticeable.
I dont think you understand the 3GS is not about faster 3G speeds its a faster iphone in terms of cpu, graphics, board and additional ram that can handle processes with a faster throughput.

jkozlow3 said:
Why? Because I've done numerous side-by-side speed tests and the 3GS and BARELY any quicker EXCEPT on wifi. However, when I have a wifi connection available, I'm generally using a laptop. With AT&T's slow ass 3G connection, the 3GS is barely any quicker - certainly not enough to warrant an upgrade. Maybe iPhone gamers would disagree, but the 3GS is barely quicker from my tests for what *I* use the phone for.

I guess if I used the phone on wifi a lot, did heavy gaming on it, needed a compass or to shoot video I might consider upgrading. But I don't, so I'll wait.
Click to expand...
 
I was in the same situation last week. I decided to go with the 3GS because there is still quite a few months till the next one comes out and I could get a lot of use out of the new one. I had a 3G and the 3GS is really a nice improvement, everything runs so much smoothly, faster and its just everything that I thought it would be. I sure do not miss my 3G.

Go for it, enjoy it for the next 7+ months until we at least know of another one.
 
I had the 3G. I just bought the 3GS today. I bought it because my 3G was starting to get wicked slow all across the board and the camera lens was all scratched up so the pictures I took were wicked bad. I also dropped the phone a few times so maybe thats why it was starting to get slow lol.

I love the 3GS, so much faster than the 3G, I did a side by side comparison.
I also love the video I can now take.

If you need a new phone I say go for it.
 
Applejuiced said:
The 3GS is faster on wifi?
I dont know what kind of tests you claim you did but there is no difference in speed while surfing thru a wifi connection on either models.
Click to expand...

The 3GS does indeed load web pages faster than the 3G when both phones are on the same wifi network. I did a side by side comparison today. 3GS is much faster.
 
get the 3gs at the subbed cost then sell it in june and get the 4th gen PAYG and pop your sim in it. it will cost you something like £100 on top of what you sell the 3gs for and you have the 3gs for 7 months. it's worth it.

also, think of it this way. a % of your bill covers the low cost (or no cost) of the hand set. if you don't upgrade you are effectively giving o2 money each month for no reason at all.

and finally; we are still, technically, less than half way through the wait between releases. if it was 3 months away i'd say wait. but 7? just get one. :)

edit:
Applejuiced said:
Interesting, I thought once safari was loaded it wouldnt make a difference.
But you're right it probably renders them faster also.
Click to expand...

it definitely does. when i got the 3gs it really did feel like having a computer in the palm of my hand compared with the 3g. the extra power of the 3gs certainly renders the pages faster.
 
Applejuiced said:
Interesting, I thought once safari was loaded it wouldnt make a difference.
But you're right it probably renders them faster also.
Click to expand...


The 3gs will indeed render pages faster over wifi than the 3g, in some cases twice as fast or more, it has to do with the gpu in the 3gs rendering the graphics on the web pages. In fact the only way the 3gs will be equal in speed to the 3g on wifi is if the page has no pictures and is all text, which, at least in my experience, is basically never.

As for the original poster's question. Because you will not be able to upgrade at all I would wait. Here in the US At&t historically has given us an early upgrade option which would be the reason to upgrade now, if the 4g is super duper OMG better then at least with the early upgrade option you can upgrade anyway even though it's a higher price it's still hundreds less than full price. But since you have only the full price or subsidy price options then I'd have to lean toward waiting. As to what the 4g will have most likely it will be going to a dual or quad core processor which instead of being 50% faster as the 3gs was to the 3g you're looking at something that will likely be a 4 to 8x speed bump with similar power draw. The 3gs was in many respects a stop gap quickly released to compete with the pre, the 4g will be a 'true' upgrade.
 
Lightbrazer said:
The 3gs will indeed render pages faster over wifi than the 3g, in some cases twice as fast or more, it has to do with the gpu in the 3gs rendering the graphics on the web pages. In fact the only way the 3gs will be equal in speed to the 3g on wifi is if the page has no pictures and is all text, which, at least in my experience, is basically never.

As for the original poster's question. Because you will not be able to upgrade at all I would wait. Here in the US At&t historically has given us an early upgrade option which would be the reason to upgrade now, if the 4g is super duper OMG better then at least with the early upgrade option you can upgrade anyway even though it's a higher price it's still hundreds less than full price. But since you have only the full price or subsidy price options then I'd have to lean toward waiting. As to what the 4g will have most likely it will be going to a dual or quad core processor which instead of being 50% faster as the 3gs was to the 3g you're looking at something that will likely be a 4 to 8x speed bump with similar power draw. The 3gs was in many respects a stop gap quickly released to compete with the pre, the 4g will be a 'true' upgrade.
Click to expand...

I live in the UK, I am with o2, who allow me to upgrade, as long as they have enough stock... and 1 catch, I may need to pay off the remainder of the contract.
 
Your Lucky I Would Kill for a White IPhone mine is black and i can see all my finger prints....But yea get the Iphone ASAP
 
Gaogier said:
I live in the UK, I am with o2, who allow me to upgrade, as long as they have enough stock... and 1 catch, I may need to pay off the remainder of the contract.
Click to expand...

In that case, if it was me, I'd definitely wait. Come June/July or whatever, you'll have a super-duper new phone and the money in your pocket you would have used to pay off the contract. Then you'll be glad you waited!! :)
 
as a rule of thumb, i stay 1 generation behind unless i absolutely need the newest technology for work.
 
the thing is nobody even knows what the next iphone is going to do. One thing for sure it'll probably be faster and have more speed, but will it be 4g? Nobody knows.

But... if you have the 3g then I would use that and wait for the upgrade. But if you're not happy with that phone then get the 3gs.
 
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